


A Wedding between a Radiant and a Duelist

by myshipsareendgame



Category: Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Post Oathbringer, a lot of family stuff, i’ll post some chapters as individual stories too, kadolin friendship, shalladin friendship, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2020-06-23 16:07:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19704817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myshipsareendgame/pseuds/myshipsareendgame
Summary: We never got to see the wedding at all. I'm fixing it.(Tagged in explicit for the wedding night in chapter 8)





	1. So Kaladin...

**Author's Note:**

> For everyone that reads the story: this is going to be a multi-shapter story so the wedding won't actually be in the first few chapters. I'm going to include it all- the preperations, the day of the wedding, the ceremony, the feist, the wedding night, the morning after and much more! Have fun and enjoy!

"Adolin, I really don't think you need a new suit for this. Don't you have like... a thousand more suits already?" Kaladin said, walking beside him.

"Of course I need a new suit. I'm getting married! See, bridgeboy, that's considered a special occasion" Adolin said in return. Yes, the wedding was approaching. Only a few more days now and Shallan and he will finally be married. "I don't believe it's that special to buy specially tailored suits."

"Well, if you didn't already know, and you did, _I_ buy specially tailored suits for my everyday outfits. You know, like normal people? So hush." Adolin smirked. He saw Kaladin frown uncomfortably. It's a familiar look that he would see on Kaladin. He knew what it was. Even with everything that has happened and how much time Kaladin spent around them, he still couldn't understand the way of lighteyes. 

"You do realize that no normal person is that much into fashion, right?" Kal teased. Oh, storm him! "Don't laugh at me. My aunt said this tailor is recommended for this specific kind of suits here and we're going there today."

If he really knew the truth about what's strange and normal, then he'd know that sometimes the odd person in a group is the only sane one. Sometimes a person is with someone because they want friends and family and don't actually want the other person. Sometimes what is considered strange to a few people is what's normal to the many.

Usually, he doesn't think about all this, but lately strange keeps knocking at his door. The Desolation, the voidbringers, the Fused... It was all far too strange for his own liking. It made no sense, but somehow _they_ managed to save the world. Again. They fought against the bad guys. Again. They saved their people. Again.

But then they realized that there was no saving the world and that they only extended their time to live. Yet again.

Wanting to return to more positive thoughts, he remembered the word strange and now thought of his betrothed. Shallan _is_ the most wonderful person that he had ever met in his life, but also one of the strangest. She was a good kind of strange. Perhaps it's better to say that she was different than others, rather than strange. Learning about her was intriguing, though whenever he'd learn something about her, he didn't feel satisfaction that he now knows something, but something very different. The feeling made him warm, soft and even a bit vulnerable.

Looking at Kaladin, he remembered Shallan in a different situation. He remembered the way Kaladin often had longing looks for Shallan and the way she sometimes, just enough for him to feel jealousy, gave him the same look. It worried him. Damnation, the thought of it had hurt more than any wound on the battlefield, any punch. It stung him like a poisonous thorn and it felt like the poison would spread everywhere in his body. And yet, her feelings came first to him. If being with someone else is what made her happy, then he'd let her go.

Then she chose him. But, he didn't talk to Kaladin about it and he felt like he needed to. The talk is actually part of why he wanted Kaladin to go to the tailor with him. Kaladin and him became friends over the past months. After fighting with four shardbearers and all the battles and everything that... happened in Kholinar, things changed. They didn't like each other at first, but respect eventually peeked through and now Adolin can honestly say that the former bridgeman is his best friend. It's because he's his best friend that they need to talk about the whole situation. He just wished he knew how to do it.

"So Kaladin, uhm, I wanted to talk to you about something." Adolin started slowly. He hoped this would go well. Kaladin turned his head towards him. "I want you to be my best man at the wedding." he said. "Best man?" Kaladin frowned confused. "It's someone who helps you on your wedding day. You make sure everything goes well and make sure I'm not nervous. Renarin is going to do it anyway, but I wanted to see if you're going to be my best man too." 

Kaladin just stared at him. "It's alright if you say no, especially after everything that happened with Shallan and you." Kaladin’s eyes widened and his mouth had gone slack. "You knew?" he said weakly. "Yeah, yeah I knew. But I understand it, I really do, but I need to see where you are in this situation. Shallan told me that it wasn't _exactly_ her that liked you, but rather a different her. Another version of her. But I need to see if _you_ are still in love with her." Adolin wanted to continue talking, but was cut off by Kaladin's... laugh?

Storms! The man is always broody and _now_ he laughs? _N_ _ow?_ Is Adolin making a fool of himself? Was there something nobody told him? Did Shallan change her mind? Of course she would, why did he ever think he's worth choosing?

"Adolin, I'm not in love with her." _Oh,_ he thought. "I _do_ think I liked her, but I think I liked the fact that I could share some pain of mine with her rather than liking the person she is. I liked having someone to talk to like that. I know what she went through to be here now, it's not my place to tell you, only she gets the right to say it, but I admire her for it. I admire her that she survived it. But even with that admiration that I have in my eyes for her, I don't think I've ever once looked at her the way you two look at each other all the time." Kaladin smiled at him.

Well, that's a nice way to put it. But, what are those secrets? Why didn't she tell _him_ anything about them? Is she fine now? When will she tell him? Should he-

 _No. Don't worry, she'll tell you when she's ready. She chose_ you.

"That's good. Very good." Adolin said and with his lips twirling into a wide smile turned to Kaladin who, surprisingly, answered with a smile as well. "So, what do you say? Are you going to be my best man?" he asked. Kaladin thought for a moment and then took a deep breath and said "Yes. Adolin Kholin, I, Kaladin Stormblessed, Knight Radiant from the order of Windrunners, will be your best man." He actually sounded proud. The two laughed and, for a moment, life felt like it wasn't only extended. It just felt. Felt good.

"Well now I can take you to the tailor and you can't say anything. _You_ listen to _me_ today!" 

"But Adolin-"

"Shut up Kaladin!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope you liked this. If you enjoyed reading this, please leave kudos and enjoy the next chapters!


	2. Tomorrow is her wedding day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wedding preparations and talks idk

Shallan was feeling overwhelmed with attention. She would often be asked hundreds of questions in the span of a few minutes and she wasn’t used to it. There were many people working in this big room. Shallan was always ordering people this and ordering other people that. Constantly moving, talking, organizing and making sure tomorrow goes perfect because tomorrow is an important day. Tomorrow is her wedding day.

Tomorrow. Just one more day of planing every storming thing and her world will be all wonderful. One very long day.

“No! Not there!” She said to the four men who were carrying tables and pointed at the other side of the room which got her a tired eye roll from the men. Of course, everyone was feeling tired. But that’s why she wanted things to go perfectly. She wanted her wedding to be not only something special for her but also a relaxing event for people who would be attending. That’s why the anger she felt when she heard someone drop a flower pot was stronger then it should’ve been.

Damnation it was stressful. And she was nervous. What if all of this is for nothing? What if she wasn’t doing a good job at this? What if the decorations look bad? Or what if something seriously bad happens to someone and they need to postpone the wedding. Shallan couldn’t take that. She couldn’t go through that and she can’t take this. Someone else should do this. Someone who could take pressure well. And she could easily become that. A quick drawing and a better person would be doing these things.

But, she can’t do that. She promised herself and Adolin that she stops at three. Thinking about it more clearly, maybe turning into a different person might ease things, but it wouldn’t stay that way for too long. Actually, it would probably make her future a lot harder and very messy.

 _Look at it logically_ , a voice said. Radiant. Radiant would come to her whenever she needed logic put in her head. Veil came when it was time to do crazy things, live a little… It helped Shallan, and though it’s still three people in one head, it felt like progress. _It’s your wedding day, it’s usual for people to be nervous, but you can do this. It is you that’s getting married, so it is your right to plan it and you can plan it right,_ Radiant said.

Shallan felt more confident. She was sure now that she was capable of doing this, she just wished the stress would go away. Why can’t it go away? A loud thud came from the back of the room.

She suddenly felt very dizzy. When did the room get so small? Her breathing was fast and she couldn’t slow down. She put one hand to her forehead and the other to her stomach. Something smelled awful in the room and Shallan felt as if she was going to puke.

“Shallan?” She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. There was something familiar in that voice and she recognized who it was. It was Navani Kholin. “Are you well? You look pale.” By blood, she is Adolin’s aunt, but with his father’s marriage, she is his stepmother. Adolin loves her no matter what she is to him now, but Shallan wasn’t sure what her relationship with Navani was.

“Yes, Brightness, it’s just the, uh, stress over the, um, wedding planning…” she said nervously. Navani nodded, but her violet eyes questionably drifted from Shallan’s face to her stomach which was held by her safehand. “Enough of the formality child. You can simply call me Navani. Because…” she paused to look at her sides and got closer to Shallan, “you know you can tell me everything.” There was a certain hesitation in her voice as if she was restraining herself from saying something she wasn't supposed to. "Have you and Adolin already spent the night together?"

Shallan may have looked pale, but she was sure her face turned entirely pink. Storms, why does she _always_ get in in embarrassing situations? "No! Navani, nothing happened yet!" Technically, that was a lie. Though nothing happened for her to get pregnancy symptoms, she did do _some_ things with him. It started a few days ago when they were kissing in his rooms. Ever since then, she wanted to kiss more than just his lips, so that's why she wanted to do it in there. At least he had doors. She would simply kiss his neck, but she didn't have the chance to do much because Adolin would always take over. Then _he'd_ be the one to kiss _her_ neck, touch her body in the most pleasant ways. But, Navani didn't need to know about that.

"Alright, I had to make sure. Regarding tomorrow night... Do you have any questions?" Shallan's cheeks now resembled a flaming red, but the truth was that yes, she did have questions. Questions about what it would feel like such as will it hurt or will it feel good. What exactly happens to her body in the process? Other questions were more... personal, let's say. What would he all do? How is he going to feel? How long is his-

"I can lend you a few books from my library to explain the biology of it all," Navani added, "but I'm guessing you want to know more about the feeling?" Normally, girls talk to their mothers about their wedding nights, but that will never happen for Shallan. She didn't have a mother. This woman might be the closest to it. So why couldn't she ask her anything? She asked Palona about it once, but she just talked about her nights with a naked Sebarial and Shallan didn't want to hear about that. 

"I'm sorry... I just don't think you and I are exactly close enough to talk about the matter." she bit her lip. She looked down, nervous to see her reaction, but Shallan was _done_ doing things she didn't like. If she wasn't comfortable talking about this, then it's her right not to talk. Thoughts about the way she offended Navani grew stronger and stronger in her head, but she knew that it had to be said. When she finally found the strength to look at her, she saw Navani smile. "It is alright", she said taking one of Shallan's hands in hers," but I do advise you to find someone to talk to. It will be easier to understand everything and you'll be less nervous, but find someone who you _feel truly comfortable_ with." Shallan came up with an idea. She thanked Navani for the support and walked out of the place to look for Adolin. 

"Pattern?" she asked softly. The spren buzzed by the hem of her dress. Today she wore a blue havah with white buttons. "Get excited, we're learning about mating."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think this was a longer chapter than the last one and i'm kinda proud of this? let me know in the comments if it's any good and leave kudos if you enjoyed xo


	3. He punched him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adolin gets punched in the nose, but Kal did it only for a good cause!

* * *

_Adolin didn’t know it was coming for him. One moment everything was completely fine and the next, the unthinkable happened._

_He was talking to Dalinar about Kholinar when Kaladin pulled him aside. Though he didn’t pay attention to it, he thought he saw a hint of a smile on his father’s face._

_“What is it bridgeboy?”, he asked._

_”Look, I’m doing this for your own good. So don’t be mad at me”, Kaladin answered._

_”What... are you talking about?”, Adolin asked confused, a frown plastered on his face._

_”I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m sorry...” Kal said._

_“You’re sorry... Sorry for what?”_

_“For this”, he told him. Then, he punched him. Right in the nose and Adolin yelled in pain before he fell to the ground and was met with nothing blackness._

* * *

_“_ How long do you think it’ll be until he wakes up?” he heard someone say. It was a familiar voice, but Adolin couldn’t recognize who it was. He couldn’t even see much, there was a dark bag over his head.

“I don’t know, there are a lot of people there, everyone’s waiting.” Another voice said. This one was familiar as well. Very familiar actually... Was that-

“He hasn’t woken up in an hour and that’s what you’re worried about? What if something happened to him? What if he doesn’t wake up?”, the first voice said and Adolin already knew who it was. He saw some colors peeking through the bag over his eyes. Hints of a blue uniform, constantly concerned about everyone’s health?

”Kaladin, I’m awake you idiot”, he said. “And Renarin, get this stinky bag off my face.”

He felt the fabric come off his face. He raised his head and looked at them. Kaladin stood tall, with arms crossed and was questionably looking at Adolin. Renarin stood beside him, a wide, toothy grin on his face making it seem like he had a drink or two. "How do you feel?" Kaladin asked him. Yeah, of course he's concerned . Kaladin "I'm trained for a surgeon and a Knight Radiant" Stormblessed loves to adopt people, even the ones who are older than him.

"I don't know Mr. Puncher, how _do_ I feel? I feel like I have questions! Seriously!" he answered. "Renarin, I'll keep it simple with the questions. Why am I here?" 

"Well, it would be best to ask, _where_ are you and then everything would be explained", his brother said. He still seemed touched by alcohol. Isn't stormlight supposed to keep him sober? And why was he drinking in the first place? Adolin didn't like questions, it meant he had to think and he wasn't supposed to be the smart one. "Okay then, _where_ are we?" Adolin asked. 

"Why don't you go out to find out for yourself?" Kal said gesturing towards the wooden door with his right hand. "I would if I wasn't tied up to this chair!" Adolin told him. There was a rope wrapped all around his torso. It hurt, but only a little bit, though Adolin would never tell anyone that. After they untied him, he was standing in front of the door in a few quick strodes. He held the doorknob but had to turn to Kaladin and Renarin. "If I get murdered in there, do not even think you're allowed to be at my soulcasting."

He opened the door. Storms! There were at least fifty men in here. Women with dresses that were low-cut and safehands that were with thin gloves. Drinks that were being prepared and drinks that were being drunk at the tables. Red wine, blue wine, violet even. There was some ale too.

The men in the room all turned to look at him. It suddenly hit him. This was his-

"Happy bachelor party!"

* * *

“So Adolin was 15 and I just turned 11” Renarin talked, “and I’m assuming that as an older brother he felt the need to explain some man things to his not so little brother.” 

“Oh, this is going to be good!” Lopen cheered. Adolin already had his face in his hands.

”And so he comes up and he says: Renarin, brother, you are now at a certain age where your body changes and so I will give you a talk”, he said and looked around as if he was finished.

“That’s it? I expected more from this story”, Drehy said.

”He called it The Safehands and Sharblades talk”, Ren finished and the table erupted in laughter. Men banged their arms against the black, wooden tables. He was a bit embarrassed, but he found himself laughing with them.

He realized he liked how he was feeling right now. He felt happy even with all the bad things going on in the world. Mostly it was simply seeing how free and happy Renarin looked. How long has it been since he smiled like that? Since he felt like he can talk with others? Adolin always thought he should talk, but Renarin was always a bit afraid. Even then, there was a great mind hiding in that silence. Now, Adolin felt the pride of an older brother.

”Alright, enough with the embarrassing stories, I’m going to get a refill. Kaladin, you want to come with?” Adolin asked.

”Well princeling, surely if you forgot all your teachings for tomorrow night, you can ask all of us, not just me”, Kal teased. “Oh please, I’ve known all about safehands since Elhokar took me to a brothel when I was 14.”

Kaladin suddenly got a distant expression. Adolin immediately knew what it was. Grief. He did feel it when people mentioned his cousin, but he’d shove it aside. He loved Elhokar, and he would keep on loving him, even if he won’t be there anymore.

”I think the king would have loved to see you get married”, Kaladin said after a little pause.

“Yeah... Yeah, he would...” Adolin said, looking at what was left of the wine in his glass. “Hey, let’s go and get that refill, ah? Not good to ruin the night with the sad feelings?” he said. And it was true. What happened was tragic, but they needed to move on.

* * *

"Chug, chug, chug, chug, chug!"

He heard the cheerings of men around him. At the moment he was competing with Drehy to see who can drink more booze without getting too tipsy. They took away all the spheres, cheating was not allowed. Right now, they were at four glasses and they didn't seem like they were about to slow down.

Finally, after six and a half drinks, Drehy started to cough. Adolin finished his seventh drink and felt like he was going to through everything up.

”He’s going to puke!”, someone yelled. He probably was, but he was a highprince, he was not one to puke from alcohol.

He held up a finger, to silence everyone who thought his stomach was weak. He fought off the disgusting sensation and arched his back.

He did not puke. He won.

”We have a champion, everybody!”

* * *

“Tomorrow “, Adolin started saying, “Shallan Davar is going to become my betrothed!”

”Uhm, your wife, Adolin”, Renarin told him. 

“Almighty! My wife...” he gasped. “That’s so beautiful...” he cried.

* * *

_He’s one of the ten fools when he’s drunk_ , Kaladin thought.

At the moment, the highprince of Kholinar was in his arms, flying through the air, speaking the drunken language. 

Kaladin counted the drinks Adolin had. Two orange wines, seven red wines, and one blue. He did notice how Renarin sometimes healed him of the toxic substances, thank the Almighty, but Adolin was still awfully drunk.

And so they all agreed (once Adolin fell asleep on the table) that someone should take him back to his rooms. At first, it was supposed to be Renarin, but Kaladin didn’t want to stay any longer anyway. Especially not after seeing Tarah. She was serving drinks tonight at the bar.

“Kaladin, do you think I’m pretty?” Adolin asked him, shifting in his arms, almost making Kaladin drop him. 

”I think that you’re a very beautiful prince”, Kaladin told him lowering them both to the ground.

”You’re right Kaladin. I am a beautiful princess.”

 _Please let him be a bit normal tomorrow_ , he thought as they flew through clouds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so after 5 years in exile, i have returned with yet another bad written story!!! lol i’m actually kind of satisfied with this particular story. definitely did not have fun making it, had to write the same thing 3 times because your girl didn’t know how to save her chapters


	4. Get in the bed

"Don't worry, I'm taking care of him," he heard Kaladin say." Return to your job men." _Where was he?_ _Who was Kaladin talking to?_

He felt strong arms pressing around him. He barely even walked, his legs were practically dangling. With a loud groan, he steadied himself on the ground and opened his eyes. He groaned again, feeling nearly blinded by the sudden light that came into his view. "Bridgeboy... Where are we?" he asked weakly. He knew these halls and these stones that surrounded him were familiar and that he had been there before, but he still could not recognize them.

"We are near your rooms Adolin. You had a lot to drink at the party. Come, Renarin told me you had something for the headache in your chambers." Adolin needed time to understand his words. _Chambers... Drinks and..._ Who was it that Kaladin told to return to their job?

”Did we pass many guards while on our way here?” he asked him. _The answer better be a small number..._ He didn't want to disappoint so early on as a Highprince. He didn't want soldiers and generals to think he didn't take the responsibility seriously. He didn't want to look in his father's eyes and know that he let his father down. He didn't want to face Jasnah or Navani and hear their scolding as if he was a child. 

“Well... I guess so, but I didn’t pay much attention, you know? I was too busy taking care you don’t die from all the ale you had and all that,” he grinned. It was an unusual and treasurable sight, but Adolin couldn’t bring himself to cherish such a rare sight. He was a Highprince now. A drunk Highprince passing the halls in the middle of the night, being carried like a baby- it was not good, not for his or the Kholin house reputation. Least of all for Kholinar.

”Oh... right. Thanks for this. I don’t want to bother you any longer. I can go by myself now,” he said. He didn’t exactly feel as if he could, but he had to. A man had to get sober in some way. “Are you sure?” Kaladin asked. Adolin nodded and waved for Kaladin to go. The man understood and left for what Adolin hoped was enjoying the rest of the festivities. Storms, that man needed some fun. The rest of the walk to his door was tipsy. At times, he swayed from side to side. Fortunately, there were no guards around to see it. He couldn’t afford such embarrassment.

* * *

Once he was near the chambers, he noticed the guards’ eyebrows rise. “What is it?” he asked them. There were four of them and they all shared a look. One of them, a lanky and brown-haired man, gaped at him. “Nothing Brightlord. We just didn’t expect you at this time.” 

“It’s alright. A bachelor party,” Adolin said when he passed them. Behind him, heard the guard say _congratulations_. Adolin smiled, thinking about tomorrow. Finally, he opened the door.

He realized why those men seemed surprised by his arrival once he got inside. He wasn’t alone. In front of him, stood a woman dressed in a simple green havah. Messy, fiery red hair fell down her slender waist. The one Adolin loved holding so much. She looked at him, pale blue eyes were filled with worry. Anticipation. Relief. Perhaps all three. Under the light of spheres she stood next to, her freckles were more noticeable than usual. She looked as exotic and as beautiful as the day he met her.

“Shallan?” he asked her. She scoffed and uncrossed her arms from her chest. With a few quick strides, she stood in front of him and had her hands on his cheeks. Her small. warm fingers gently caressed his face. "Pattern heard you and Kaladin in the hallway. Storms Adolin, how much did you drink there?" she asked him. His lips curled into a light smile. "A lot, I believe."

Shallan skipped from one leg to another. "I supposed so. I hope you're not mad that I told Pattern to pass through a drawer to find it, but I found the medicine that Kaladin spoke about," she told him, her back turned to him as she walked to a table. "Here," she said. She gave him a glass filled with water and green herbs. Those were sold in the markets and said to be a magical cure for hangovers. He sniffed it and gulped at the smell, but still brought the glass to his mouth and drank the mixture. It was like a bitter, spicy tea and in no way did it taste well. 

"What are you doing here so late?" he asked her. Shallan walked over to the bed and un-tucked the covers. "Get in the bed."

His eyes widened and for a moment, getting inside the bed seemed like a good idea because he didn't think his legs would support him any longer. Did she really want him to show his love for her at this moment? He smelled of alcohol for Almighty's sake! "Uhm... Would it be alright if we waited until after the wedding? I mean, not that I don't want it to happen it's just that this doesn't seem like the right moment to..."

He realized he was rambling when he saw her blush. "Adolin! Not that! Just... just get in the bed so you can sleep!" It was his time to blush now. Obviously he misunderstood. Adolin hoped he didn't offend her. He started to apologize, but she cut him off by bringing a finger to his lips. After some persuading, she finally got him to lie down. She helped him take off his boots and coat. He lay his head on a pillow and all he could think about was how good it felt to do that. Shallan draped blankets over him and he took the hems in his hands. It was like he made a trip to the past and his mother was putting him to bed. 

"Hey Shallan?" he called for her and stretched his arm out.

"Yes, Adolin?" she answered taking his hand.

"Thank you, but why exactly are you doing this?" he asked her. She ran her fingers through his hair. He fancied the tenderness of her fingers as they moved across his forehead. "Because you already took care of me. It's time for me to return the favor."

He smiled and murmured "Thank you" and hoped she heard it as he dozed off.

* * *

* * *

The next day, after taking a bath and putting on a set of fresh, new clothes, Adolin walked towards the Oathgates. Earlier, a servant was sent to him to tell him that Brightness Shallan was asking for him. Well, that was good. He had woken up without a headache and he needed to thank her for those herbs as soon as possible.

There was a hassle near the Oathgate platform. People from all countries had arrived in Urithiru for the wedding, mostly servants who came early to prepare for their brightlord's or lady's trip. When he was younger and thought about his wedding, he never could have imagined it being like this. Important families traveling through teleporting fabrials to get there, having a ceremony in a tower that's _also_ a city, having this many people united and working together in one place... Least of all, he never thought that he'd marry a Knight Radiant, even when he was a little boy with big dreams, full of imagination. What a nice turn of events.

Finally noticing Shallan, he walked up to the platform she stood on. She wore a simple dress. A red one, for luck’s sake and no doubt already prepared for her by Alethi wedding tailors his aunt hired. It was a fetching look and her dress fit her slender figure. They had paid attention to her waist as it was accentuated by a gold belt with rubies. She let her hair fall down her back, like always. Pattern was tangled in it, flying up and down the waves.

Her head turned slightly, the angle hiding him from her sight, but making it easy for him to see the tense look on her face. The crease between furrowed brows, lips drawn into a line. So different from the cheerful Shallan who blushes easily. Different from the woman who finds excitement in drawing plants or the Lightweaver who fights Voidbringers. Different from the Shallan the entire world sees, but he had seen beyond that mask. "Hey", he said, enveloping her in his arms from behind.

She once described herself as a broken vase, but if that was the case, then he'd pick up the peaces and put them back together. Cracked or not, he loved the vase.

"Everything will be amazing." She turned around at his words. When she looked up at him, some of the tension from her face disappeared. "Is my nervousness that obvious?" she asked quietly.

"Don't worry about it, you're doing great.”

She let out a deep breath and then a few more, just like he practiced with her, before closing her eyes and resting her chin against his chest. "Thanks. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling great. Nothing hurts and I actually remember the events from last night," he answered earnestly. "And thank you for giving me medicine and being there, Shallan." Renarin could have easily healed him of toxins, but they agreed not to use any stormlight for healing drunks. They wanted to do it the old-fashioned way. 

"Well,I _did_ actually have some selfish reasons for coming there," she said with her head bowed down. “I wanted to talk about tonight’s events and...”

Pattern buzzed and flew up from her hair. “Oh, mating! Adolin, she means mating as with today’s oaths you won't be forbidden to do the sacred events of passion! Yes, yes Shallan, we’ve been over this...” 

Shallan blushed and Adolin felt his cheeks turn pink as well. The spren never bothered him. He just didn’t like how loud he talked about this particular subject. “Yes, Pattern”, Shallan said twisting to look at him, “About that.”

She turned her head back to Adolin and bit her lip, obviously anxious. He felt the same. What about tonight? Why did she want to talk to him about it? He decided to bash the distressing thoughts away. Instead, he chose to break the silence between them as it obviously wasn't doing any good.

"If you aren't ready for it, Shallan or aren't sure whether you want to do something or not, we don't have to do it-" he said awkwardly, but she cut him off.

"I'm sure. Positive, actually. But that's not what I wanted to talk about." It wasn't? Perhaps she wasn't sure about the basics of it all. Maybe the body parts or the feelings? Either way, it didn't seem like biology was what troubled her. It wouldn't even make sense. Sure, he knew she didn't have a mother to tell her about it, but she did have teachers to explain some of the foundations.

He remembered the day his father first talked to him about it. When he was eleven, his body started to change. He would sweat more, his voice would crack often and his body grew. Most of these things confused him and he'd get distracted simply thinking about it. Dalinar had picked up on it, so he sat him down once and explained everything to him, during the time he was with his father in the war camps. It's where Adolin got the idea for the "Safehands and Shardblades" talk he gave Renarin years later. 

"Have you had sex before?" she asked him. Straight forward and not loudly, but far from a whisper. His eyes widened and he gaped at her, opening and closing his mouth. He wanted to say something, but he was afraid to. _Of course,_ he did have it before. He just never saw the point in talking about it- it wouldn't bring him or the brightladies who partook in the action any good. "Uhm... a couple of times," he answered and suddenly found his nails very interesting to look at.   
  


He might have fought hundreds of battles at that point and had bragged about his bravery to lots of ladies before her, but at that moment, he didn’t have any strength in himself to look at her. That was fine, he’d just continue pretending that his fingers truly _were_ fascinating.

”Thank the Almighty!” she exclaimed. He felt afraid of how she’d react, but the eager shout was not what he had in mind. “Oh... Thank the Almighty at least you’ll know what to do.”

He laughed and she joined him. It was good how that’s what bothered her. It was understandable- soldiers and guards would always joke about it, but scholars and ladies of the court? Not so much. More importantly, every man could talk about the topic and a woman could laugh and blush at his words, but to speak about it? It was unconventional. It was unusual and unusual often meant unacceptable.

He grabbed her waist and pulled her to him in a swift motion, their foreheads bumping. “And is that the only thing bothering you, lady Davar?” 

She giggled and he couldn’t help but smile, for it would be Kholin in a few hours. “Yes,” she said. “And I am sure about everything else. Entirely.” She looked straight into his eyes as she said those words... So certain, so determined and confident.

”Well then, today after we finish with the most part of the festivities, just nod to me for us to get away. I’ll know what it means.”

She nodded slightly. ”I have to go now. I need to meet with your aunt,” she said and gave him a peck on the lips before she turned to walk in the elevator fabrial’s direction.

”See you in front of the ardents,” he shouted to her. 

After seeing how she twisted to give him a wave, he strolled in the other direction. He needed to start getting ready for his wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I continue write chapters every like 5 months or so, but what’s new? 
> 
> Give some kudos babes <3  
> -xo


	5. The oaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so short I'm sorry :(((

Shallan let Navani take her brothers to their seats of honor.

They were here. After long months apart and hours of worrying and missing them, they were finally here. It was good they arrived on time for the wedding, otherwise, it wouldn’t feel so complete.  
  
There was noise coming from the wedding room. She walked towards it and found herself in front of two, white curtains. A traditional place from which the bride starts walking to her betrothed and the assigned ardent.

Normally, women would walk side by side their father. Shallan had thought about it and decided to walk alone. It was not done so often, but it also wasn’t something looked down upon. She thought she had made a decision, until, strangely, Dalinar offered to help.

And so Dalinar was standing next to her, arm linked in hers, with a rare smile on his face. “Are you nervous?” he asked her. The song was about to start any minute.

”A bit...” she answered earnestly. “But, mostly excited. You?”

”I never thought I’d get to see this day, but I’m glad I was wrong.” He opened his mouth to speak again, but the melody started that same moment. They shared a look before two servants opened the curtains and they stepped forward.

Storms. 

There were so many people.

Jasnah and Navani had made the guest list. Even if Shallan wanted to be as included as possible in making the wedding a nice event, she was glad to leave the invites to them. If she looked carefully, she could recognize most of them. Some she met at meetings, some after the battle in Thaylenah... 

She quickly realized they were nearing the altar and looked to its direction. 

Kaladin stood on the far right, a rare, but treasurable grin on his face. He wiggled his eyebrows at her. Shallan rolled her eyes but found herself grinning as well. Next to him, stood Renarin. He stood tall and straight, unusually relaxed. He had stopped wearing spectacles a long time ago, but only now did the look in his eyes seem to change.

And next to the best men, in front of the ardent, was Adolin. The two of them watched each other for some moments. He wore a blue suit, designed by the latest fashion. Thankfully, it was not a uniform, like his father wanted it to be. Instead, it was one of Yolkska’s finest works, with embroidery at the chest similar to her own.

He was freshly shaved but left his hair unruly and messy as ever. That was good, it suited him best.

Dalinar suddenly stopped. He leaned down and kissed her, lightly, on her cheeks, respecting the ritual, and went to his seat next to his wife.

Shallan took three more steps, now by herself. She looked Adolin straight in the eyes. When she mouthed a ‘hello’, his smile was wider than before.

“Thank you all for joining. We may proceed,” the ardent started. She was surprised when Adolin suggested Kadash and not Zahel, but she had no complaints. He went on to pronounce a number of prayers for a long and happy marriage. She tried to listen closely, but they were all far too similar, sounding the same. He had some trouble with speaking about how ‘the Almighty will bless this woman and woman’. At times, he would look at Dalinar, with uncertainty in his eyes.

“Now it’s time for oaths.” 

_Finally._

Taking a quick look at Adolin, she noticed how deep his breathing was. “I can be first,” he said to Kadash.

The ardent turned to him. “Do you swear to love this woman, and only this woman, until your dying breath.”

”I swear,” he said determinately. It was strange- she had months to prepare for this, yet at that moment, she felt tears brimming in her eyes. She needed to pull herself together. 

“I swear to be her partner and equal. I swear to listen to her when she speaks. I swear to love her fiercely and with every piece of my heart and soul, from this day, until the end of days.”

Oh, great. Now she was crying, not even for the first time that day. She could just imagine the frustration of the makeup artists who spent two hours perfecting her face, but she didn’t care. For the first time in so long, maybe even her life, she was crying tears of _joy._

Adolin took the time to caress her cheeks and wipe the tears off her face. Shallan hoped her gaze was enough for him to know she was grateful for it.

”Do you swear to love this man, and this man only, until your dying breath?” It was her time for her to answer now.

”I swear,” she said barely keeping herself from faltering. 

“I swear to be his lifelong partner, his equal. I swear to be patient and understanding. I swear that my love for him will never fade and only grow, from this day until my last.”

His eyes were shining, tears forming in the corners. She wondered if it was her turn to fix his cheeks, but he was able to hold the water back. 

“I know pronounce Adolin and Shallan Kholin, first of their names, husband, and wife.”

They did not wait for a second to embrace and kiss, their lips pressed against each other for a long time. Somewhere in the distance, people clapped. Someone let out a whoop, but she could not determine who it was. The only thing she could focus on was Adolin’s hands pulling at her waist, while her fingers found a way around his neck. Far too passionate for Alethi standards, but just another reason for them to do it.

Finally, they pulled out of the embrace, keeping their hand intertwined. They walked down a path, shouting words of thanks to those who congratulated them on the way and soon after, everyone was being ushered to the feast room to celebrate a marriage.


	6. If you ever hurt our sister...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adolin meets the Davar brothers and it goes well... for the most part.

"So... You're Adolin."

Adolin whipped his head around and found three red-headed men in front of him. "And you are Nan Balat, I presume." Balat had a round, pale, youthful face, but walked with a cane. He was the eldest brother of the three, even though it wasn't always that way. Shallan hadn't told him many stories about her family, but enough for him to have some knowledge of them and enough description for simple recognization.

"Which means you two must be Wikim and Jushu," he continued, pointing between the pair of twins, even though he would never have guessed they were. One was slender with a scrawny face, the other plump with full cheeks. They had little resemblance, but only as much as any brothers would.

He extended a hand, which Balat took hesitatingly. Adolin raised an eyebrow but decided not to think much of it, at least for the time being, and instead went to shake hands with the other two. They seemed a bit uncomfortable, but their grips were firm. The most eager to meet, it seemed, was Jushu. His eyes lit up upon seeing face to face with Adolin and his mouth spread into a wide grin when they greeted. "I've heard you are the finest duelist of Alethkar! You certainly look like one!'

Adolin chuckled at the mention of his duels, but it brought back a feeling of nostalgia. He missed the time people enjoyed fighting for the fun of it. Nowadays people fought to survive till the next day. But thankfully, Jushu's genuinely excited expression while speaking of it was enough for Adolin to push the thoughts aside. "Yes, well, I've trained for it since I was a boy. Have you ever dueled in Jah Keved?"

"I wish," Jushu whistled. "I never got the training for it, unfortunately, but I am a fan of swords. I saw a few on the display when we were coming here..." This conversation was going well and Adolin sunk into it easily, even if one of the other two brothers was staring daggers at him. At first, he wasn't sure if he should talk to Jushu as another lighteyes, or a friend, or a younger brother, which he now was. Should he talk freely or should he stay reserved and just listen? 

"We could arrange a private visit to the training ground for you if you'd like," Adolin offered. Eventually, he settled on polite friendliness. He wanted to get on this young man’s good side and while it was mostly because it was his wife's family, he felt himself already growing fond of the man aside from that. Jushu talked about his interest in weapons so softly and sweetly, like a boy, that it brought a smile on Adolin's face. It reminded him of himself a little and he almost got to the point where he would hold out Maya for him if it wasn't for the other party guests.

"Of course! Perhaps we shall talk later, Brightlord Adolin. I must catch up with my sister now!" Jushu said and rushed off in the other direction. That seemed to wake his twin up. "Oh! That reminds me, I have so much to tell her! Brightlord, I apologize, but maybe later?" Adolin quickly nodded, enjoying their eagerness to spend time with their sister. Wikim had looked quite awkward but didn't appear to be a bad lad. 

That left only one person with him.

Balat was the tallest of the Davar family but still had to look up at him, eyebrows raised and furrowed, his mouth showing displeasing. What had him so disturbed? "My family has come a long way." The trip? Yes, traveling now must've been hard, perhaps difficult enough to make him this broody. Adolin was about to comment on the road he and his brothers probably took when Balat continued. "They've all come a long way in the last two years." 

He suddenly got closer to him, the sound of wooden cane tapping slowly against the hard floor resonated through the room. Luckily, no one else looked in their direction, though they were far from the crowd already. "My sister set out on a journey alone and here I see her for the first time in months. She's dancing to wedding melodies and kissing the Highprince of Kholinar. But I have heard of your reputation, _Highprince_. Apparently, you have a wandering eye for anything that wears a skirt."

Adolin drew his mouths into a line. This was not the first time a brother was concerned his sister was in a relationship with Adolin, but he always figured that wouldn't be a problem at his wedding. It turned out he guessed wrong. "If you hurt my sister in any way..."

"I will stop you right there," he said holding out a flat palm in front of him. In the past, talking with these over-protective brothers was something he had a prepared speech for. This, however, not only sounded but felt different- because it was. This was _his_ family now too, and he had to do this properly. "While I understand your need to protect your little sister, I can assure you, I would never hurt her. A promise made by a Kholin is never broken and I promise you this- I will do right by Shallan."

Balat still had his lips turned downwards and he still had an angry grimace on his face, but there was something in his eyes that changed. Something shifted, if only for a second. It was like a new and unexpected thought popped up in his mind and surprised him. "Do you love her?"

"I do," Adolin said with no hesitation.

Balat took in a deep breath, then exhaled loudly. "Well, I witnessed the ceremony. I can't argue that she loves you too. I'm going to seem like I'm following a trend by repeating my brothers' actions but after the wedding festivities are done... I suppose I _would_ like to get to know you,” he admitted a little begrudgingly. “Even with all the judgment I may have when going into Shallan's love life, you do seem like a good guy." Adolin laughed at that and forwarded his arm. Some things had to stay in the past.

Like before, Balat took it hesitantly, but this time, he gripped it harder- a man's code for respect- and smiled lightly after.

The Davar brothers seemed like good men to have as in-laws. What did he mean by coming a long way though?

* * *

* * *

"Hold on let me try this one!" Shallan exclaimed from beside him. They just got their cakes served, two of the three were filled with strawberry jam upon Shallan's request. All the cakes they ordered were traditional looking wedding cakes with delicious sweet ingredients and bright-colored decorations. Pearls and feathers were glued to the plates, enhancing the rich colors the plates were already painted in, looking quite impressive. "You'll get your wedding dress stained if you don't stop eating like a hungry soldier," he told her.

"No, I'll not," she managed to mutter as she was stuffing food in her face as if her life depended on it. Completely unladylike, making it all the more endearing. Pattern buzzed from the hem of her dress where he spent most of the night. It was strange how he wasn't everywhere _but_ around them and discovering all the social activities of lighteyes at a wedding. "That's a lie Shallan..." 

"See? Even your spren knows it." 

She put her fork down and pressed a napkin to her lips. "Fine. But you're coming to the dance floor with me!"

"Shallan my feet are killing me, we've danced at least thirty times already," he tried to complain but was already getting up from his chair. "Just one more, please!"

And so she and Adolin joined their arms together for a dance once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Please leave your thoughts and feedback as I really appreciate it <33


	7. One of her best traits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a night spent talking with lighteyes, Shallan and needs some laughs.
> 
> And some more dancing.

Shallan let Adolin come back to his seat but was happy to continue to be on her feet. Fortunately, she had spent most of the festivities having fun and not talking to all sorts of lords and generals who wanted to congratulate her, although it was obligatory she did plenty of the latter too.

”Brightlady Shallan!” she heard her name being called. Turning around, she recognized the voice as Kaladin’s. He sat at a long table, ordered and designed particularly for his group of bridgemen. There were a total of thirty chairs in that section, she recalled as she had spent hours organizing the event. Placed in the middle, one couldn’t easily distinguish Stormblessed from other members of the crew, but it was his aura that somehow wordlessly told: “I am the captain, the one in charge.”

“Kaladin! Is the food to your liking?” she asked, already in front of him. 

“Surprisingly, yes. I don’t like to admit it, but you lighteyes certainly have some nice spices,” he said with a chuckle, but Shallan knew how hard it must’ve been for him to do that. Attending a feast like this was never in his plans and it certainly never was to compliment it. He had an understandable grudge against lighteyes; these words were spoken so that others wouldn’t be reminded of it.

”I liked your gift. It made me laugh out loud,” she said in an attempt to lighten the mood or at least distract him from pushing himself to say something he didn’t want to.

”The boots? Well, I believed you deserved your own pair. We can’t have you going around pretending to be a Horneater, so we asked one of Lopen’s cousins, a shoemaker.”

She turned from Kaladin to the Herdazian who, as usual, smiled wickedly wide. “How many cousins _do_ you have?”

”Never enough, that’s how many!” Lopen shouted. Was he drunk? It didn’t matter, Shallan was glad the people were having a good time.

She and Kaladin spent some time chatting about everything that happened at the bachelor party. At one point, she had to squish between him and another bridgeman whose name was unknown to her, as it was getting rather tiring to stand and talk. He filled her in on all the details on how there weren't any major incidents at the bar and everyone had a good time. "Thank you for taking care of Adolin. I suppose you wanted to stay some more, so I'm sorry your fun had to finish earlier."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, it's no problem. I'm actually glad I left when I did." Shallan raised an eyebrow. He didn't seem to want to talk anymore, but he was an idiot if he thought she was going to let it end at that. 

"What? Was someone mean to little Kallie boy?"

He shot her a tired, yet withering glare, which many people would run from, but Shallan remained seated and felt a smile form on her face. Most of the time, she hated that she annoyed people, but when it came to Kaladin, she considered it one of her best traits. "No, and if you really must know... It-it’s because of someone important from my past. A woman."

The words had a different effect on her than what she would expect, or rather, wish. Somehow, she always believed what they shared in the chasms was the only time he had been so close to a woman. That was the image she had painted in her mind and hearing this made it shatter into pieces. But, maybe it's for the best it stays that way. She could build a new image, one that was true, in which they could help each other out and be there for one another without overthinking as a romance. “What’s her name?”

”Tarah. She was serving drinks.” He went on to describe her. Dark-haired with big, brown eyes, plump with a round face and as he stated, beautiful. It was obvious he used to love her, or at least loved her for what he knew love to be. “Do you want to reconnect with her?”

”Honestly, I’m not sure,” he said. “I keep replaying the moment I laid eyes on her again in my head and I don’t know how to stop it. I know Syl would want me to be with her. In fact, she’s been pestering me to go and talk the entire day, I sent her to play with leaves outside.”

Well, knowing the spren, she probably went to spy on Tarah instead. Kaladin though obviously wasn’t at ease and she longed to help him. Veil would certainly have some suggestions, but Shallan kept her silent. She wondered if he’d like to hear a joke, but she couldn’t think of any. That never happened to her before, but there’s a first time for everything. 

Then she heard what song the musicians were playing and everything became clear to her. “Everyone, get on the dance floor now!” Shallan ordered and quickly jumped to her feet. People turned to look at her, wondering why she interrupted their meals and conversations, but some already listening and heading to the podium.

She turned to the rest of the table and saw that she, thankfully, had their attention. “Men, get your wives and ladies. As for those of you who do not have a date, I don’t care if you can flirt or not, politely ask a girl and get on with it.” She grabbed Kaladin’s hand who, without having an opportunity to argue, followed her. “Why are we doing this?”

”I already made Adolin dance so many times today that he can’t walk. Besides, you need to get your mind off that situation. Now come on, let me teach you this dance, it’s Veden.”

Kaladin gaped at her. “I don’t even know the steps to Alethi dances!”

Shallan grinned as she began to twist her legs. “That’s the beauty of this one- there are no steps! You just jump and do whatever you want.” Her country had certain songs that required precise and slows steps where steadiness and grace were the goals, but she preferred ones where none of that was necessary. When she moved as she liked, it gave her a sense of freedom and sparked a fire in her that couldn’t match the color of her hair or the intensity of her blush.

She twirled around herself, raising her arms up, delighting in the way the hems of her dress bounced. At one moment she stopped to look at how Kaladin was doing and saw how he moved from side to side in unnatural steps. _A bit awkward, but unique,_ she thought _._ They joined hands and started to spin, bending their backs and letting out shouts that the other was going too fast, but neither of them stopping.

* * *

** Kaladin **

After a while, he got tired. His head felt dizzy from all the swirling he did. When the song ended, Shallan made him dance with other girls as a challenge which he accepted, not wasting any second of the odd but happy spirit she put him in. He plopped down on his chair finally. The servants had taken his plate to the kitchens, but left his drink untouched. 

He inhaled stormlight from the spheres in his pocket to release some of the tension in his shoulders. Everything was calm and peaceful and for a long time in what felt like a lifetime, Kaladin simply enjoyed living. He didn't worry about when a pleasant moment will pass or think about what could happen, just enjoyed.

That was, of course, until he heard that storming melody. Oh no, he wasn’t going to do _that_ again. He looked around to see if Shallan was going to appear behind him and ask him to dance, but he couldn’t spot her. “Renarin?” 

The young man joined Bridge Four’s table immediately after finishing all his royal duties of greeting important guests and appearing at the family table. He spent the party joking with friends and teaching everyone about why this wine was tasty or why that wine was not... It was good he was learning to be at ease with the crew. “Yes, Kaladin?”

”Where is Shallan?”

He blushed a little, but ticked his head to the side and smiled. “Oh, she and my brother went to... you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the wedding night or as Ren says it, they'll do "you know"


	8. Is this bed ours?

Adolin held Shallan close as he led her to his chambers.

With their bodies almost pressing, he wondered if she could sense his nervousness. He was eager for this, yes, but nervous too. Will she be disappointed? Will things go neatly? If she thinks his mattress is too dirty or if his pillows are too uncomfortable- what then? Where would they do it? All these questions troubled him, not enough to make his stomach twist, but certainly to make his head faintly spin. But then he took one look at Shallan and found himself more at ease.

Storms, she was enchanting. He hadn't made a comment on her wedding havah, unfortunately, since it fit her so well. Tight around her chest, but wide from the waist down, it highlighted her features while the color brought out the blue of her eyes. 

"I don't recall ever telling you about this corridor." Shallan looked at him with wide eyes. "Aunt Navani thinks it's one of the older parts of the tower," he said, trying to make the silence less awkward by... Well, by breaking it. And he certainly picked a fun topic- hallways. Boring talks oh how the stone was placed in this place and that place, but by the look of it, Shallan truly found it interesting. How does one find the subject amusing? 

Realizing they were near the door, he quickly told himself not to focus on questions anymore. They were soon to be alone.

* * *

Shallan stepped into her husband's room as he closed the door behind him. "I suppose this is ours now," she said.

"Yes. I suppose it is," he replied with a chuckle.

Though she had been here before, only now did she really bothered to pay attention to how it looked. The room had a high ceiling and was very spacious, even for one of a Highprince. He owned a big closet, she noted. A plain, dark brown one, made of wood and decorated with golden handles. Strange how someone as invested in fashion as Adolin had such a simple closet, though she guessed what he held inside was almost everything but simple. Other furniture was painted in lighter tones. There was even a sofa with a floral print and furry cushions. She almost laughed out loud, but it did look nice, so she brought a hand up to stifle the giggle.

The floor was cold, but she didn't mind, at least there wasn't any junk on it. Shallan had always thought a man's room wouldn't be so clean, but it was foolish to expect anything else than tidiness from a son of Dalinar Kholin. She saw a few rumpled socks on the dresser though, at least five of them, all in different colors. He probably left it there in a rush, when he was getting ready for the ceremony.

Behind her, Adolin was still leaning against the door. If she continued to inspect every corner, their wedding night would turn into a wedding morning and there was no reason for that to happen, especially when he looked so handsome in his suit. The only problem was- how to initiate it?

An idea popped up in her mind.

"So..." She began walking across the floor towards the balcony. "These windows. They're ours?"

He straightened himself slightly but didn't move from his place. "Yes."

"And that mirror on the wall?", she said gesturing to the other side of the room. "That's ours as well?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice deep. Shallan eyed him and saw that he stood on his feet completely now. She kept his gaze, approaching the bed with a shocking amount of confidence in her step. She wasn't used to the feeling, but at that moment she clutched to it tightly. "Is this bed ours?"

Hunger flashed in his eyes and in a few rushed steps, he was in front of her, pulling her face to him. She grabbed the back of his neck as their mouth opened against one another in a passionate but hurried rhythm. He moaned and a moment later, the same sound followed from the back of her throat as she let herself get fully drawn into the kiss. Then she felt him suddenly pull away. "I'm sorry if I startled you... I apologize Shallan, I simply couldn't stop myself." He breathed in and out loudly, an apologetic gleam in his eyes. 

"Adolin, you don't have to be sorry. I want this," she said taking his hands and holding them tightly. "You are absolutely sure?" They had already discussed that, hours prior to the wedding, and she had assured him it was something she desired to do.

"Yes." But as charming as his concern was, it brought another subject to her mind. "Are you?", she asked him. They were about to be naked in front of each other. It was important both of them agreed to it.

"Of course I am!" he said, this time laughing and looking more like he usually did. Though the tension from before was weirdly pleasing and enjoyable, she found this version of Adolin more relaxing. That would certainly be useful for when the time for stripping down came. Should she just ask him? "Uhm... Is it not a problem if we try to keep the atmosphere as light as possible tonight? I believe it will make everything more comfortable."

He nodded, making a face that seemed to say 'obviously', which she greatly appreciated. "Good. Now take off your jacket and shirt, please..."

* * *

Within seconds, Adolin had removed all the clothing from his upper body and threw them on the ground. Shallan's eyes went over his biceps, a blush finding a way to her cheeks. _I'm glad I_ _did pushups today_ , he thought. She touched him lightly on the shoulder and began working her way across the area. She walked around him and stroked his lower back, her fingers going over his backside. He was pleased when he saw her lingering on his stomach as he flexed the muscles.

Her eyes widened and her breathing got heavy. But then, she started drawing in short, quick, almost unnatural breaths. "Are you alright?"

That seemed to wake her up from whatever state she was in, looking almost agitated. "Oh? Yes, it's just that... I think I'm only now getting a grasp on the amount of training you do."

"I'm glad you like it. Can I..." he grazed her arm. Left arm.

The blush on her cheeks deepened, but she nodded. He pecked her forehead before moving onto her shoulder. From there, he kissed her arm softly and slowly, getting down on his knees. He used the edge of his teeth at her elbow before he finally got to her safehand. He felt the bulge in his pants harden when he started unbuttoning the sleeve. Her safehand was left exposed bare to him and he didn't bother with gentle kisses. Instead, he brought it to his mouth and sucked on her fingers, one by one. He held her palm with one hand and wrapped the other around Shallan. He used that one to work on her dress.

The dress soon fell down and though he felt a loss as he removed her fingers from his lips, he felt himself come back to life as he sucked the skin on her stomach, now holding her with both arms. She was letting out sighs of delectation, pulling his hair.

* * *

"Oh, storms!" she shouted. Could the guards outside hear her? They probably could, but it's their job not to make any comments during their shift. Even if they did, Shallan didn't care if the entire Urithiru heard her tonight.

But, as amazing as this was, she was starting to feel concerned if he would like the rest of her body. She never had the body men desired to touch and women desired to have. Curves and tan skin were beautiful and she always felt plain and flat, in more than just one way. As Adolin was leaving marks on her belly, it was only logical to guess he liked that part. But would he like her breasts? Would he like how small they were compared to other women he had done this with? And how about the freckles on her back- she always disliked them. Why wouldn't he?

Maybe she should lightweave. 

_No_. She needed to resist the temptation.

"Adolin..." she whispered and tugged on his shoulders. He looked up, eyes filled with lust and loss. Had this action really have such an effect on him? He got up to his full height, scanning her figure along the way, making her look down immediately. "I realize I may not look like most men want a woman to look." He must've been disappointed.

"Shallan, what do you mean? Do you want us to talk about it?" he asked and sat them both down on the bed. She was completely naked now, hairs on her skin rising up from the chilly breeze, while he still had his pants on. "Adolin, look at me. I don't have much to offer and I hate that! I won't allow myself to turn into Veil nor Radiant, truly, I prefer to stay myself tonight. But, I also wish I was built differently."

She never said that to anyone before. Growing up, she didn't have many friends, let alone any women close enough to talk to about the mater. With brothers who could never understand, nor want to hear about it, she was left with mirrors and thoughts and literature that claimed her appearance wasn't appealing. As challenging as it was to admit her insecurities, it was good to let it off her chest.

Adolin rubbed her knees- a simple gesture, but Shallan found the tenderness of his fingertips calming. "Hmm..." he thought. "I think it's inaccurate to say you have nothing to offer. Look at your hands for example," he said, taking one in his. "How many times did they draw something amazing for you to surgebind and help people? Radiance aside, how many times did they create art? Do you really think that's nothing special? Shalan, you're _mesmerizing_." Really? Her? "You told me to look at you. Well, I could do that for hours and I'd think of it as time well spent."

"You would?" Shallan asked, her voice thin. No one had ever told her she was so beautiful before, not even him. She kissed him, craving the taste of his lips. "Always," he answered, pulling out of the kiss and going in for a hug. She, however, used the opportunity to straddle him with both thighs, hands latching onto the back of his neck. The happiness she felt previously had turned into excitement and anticipation in a second. The thought of becoming someone else had started to go away and her desire to flee from the all-consuming feeling of inadequacy had begun to vanish. It meant she could focus better on the sculpture of a man in front, or now, beneath her.

She pressed her mouth to his, stealing his breath. It was rough and even a bit weird when they pushed their tongues against each other, but she found it more arousing than other methods of kissing.

* * *

Shallan's lips drifted from his jaw, then to his neck, then back to his jaw. He shifted his body slightly so she could move more easily, but the motion forced them both stiffen- it accidentally made her jump onto his manhood. _Uh... Now what?_ Not that it wasn't pleasant- it was where the night was supposed to go at some part- but that it was unintentional. He looked at her trying to see if she felt as confused as he did and was surprised to see a hint of a smirk instead. She moved her hand across his chest, stopping for a moment to scratch his abdominal muscles, and unclasped his belt.

Reaching with her hand for him, she let out a small gasp but didn't stop. He moaned. Oh, he _moaned._

She changed her position, sitting with her knees under her, and lowered his pants down so she could have full access to his cock. Using both hands now, she stroked it slowly. When she went over the tip, he had to arch his back. Storms he loved this woman!

* * *

When she started to touch him, she didn't envision getting such a reaction out of him, but she was nowhere near wanting to complain. He was breathing heavily, with his eyes closed and cheeks flustered, and it made Shallan's heart full. It meant she was doing this right. Of course, there probably weren't many other ways it could be done, but she was still happy she was succeeding in satisfying him.

After a few moments, he opened his eyes hazily and she stilled. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is more than okay," he said and raised his body, his palms behind him and flat on the mattress. "I really want to kiss you. Can I do that?"

She snorted. "You can do anything you want with me," she leaned in and pecked him, "but, make sure to warn me first if it's something too exciting." 

"Well, I did have something in mind, though I am not sure if I can describe it." _Is that so?_ She bit her lip and smiled mischievously. "I suppose you just need to show me-"

She let out a whoop, then a giggle, when he flipped them over so that he was on top of her. He brought her to laughter again, this time while planting soft bites on her collarbone. It didn't have anything to do with his skills- they were almost perfect- but the tingles on her skin that made her joyful. She felt him chuckle with their bodies connected, but this time, it forced her to make a different sound as she just now realized where his mouth was. 

His head was between her thighs and she almost instinctively tangled her fingers into his hair, pulling the strands of blonde and black. He stuck his tongue into her, then used it to do a series of long licks. "Is this alright?" he muttered, lifting his head. She nodded hastily, already missing the feeling of his lips on her womanhood. When he massaged her with his thumb, she had to clench her teeth to not make a sound, afraid of how loud her voice would otherwise be. "I'm going to put in a finger now. Is that good with you?"

"Yes," she managed to utter. He slipped a finger into her and her breath caught. He moved it in and out of her, slowly and carefully at first, but soon found a steady rhythm. The movement itself wasn't what made Shallan like it, in fact, it wasn't so pleasurable as she had hoped, but the fact that it was _Adolin_ doing this with her. She gasped when he put in the second finger, this time instantly accustoming it to his tempo. 

It also got her thinking when he was going to put something else of his in her body. Will it feel the same, or similar or completely different? She was almost considering to ask him to stop and get to the action out of burning curiosity. But, it wasn't only the hunger for knowledge that made her want more. With the amount of moaning she did in the past minutes, he was pleasuring her like she was a Herald. She craved to feel more of him. All of him.

* * *

Adolin took his fingers out of her and got up into a sitting position, studying her. She had her eyes wide open now even if she held them shut whenever he looked up to check up on her, see if anything was too extreme on unbearable. 

"I want you inside me," she said, swallowing hard. He gaped, but quickly collected himself and nodded, shifting so that he held himself above her, their hips lining up. She put her hands on his shoulder, giving them a good squeeze. He pecked her forehead and was ready to get into her when he realized he forgot about a detail. 

"Oh! I just remembered! Do you want to be in a different position?" This was her first time and he wanted to make it as easy as possible. She scrunched her nose. "Uh... I'm not sure. I think this is good, yeah..." Now that it was settled and they were both comfortable, he could start. Whispering an _I love you,_ he pushed himself in her.

* * *

It was painful, at first, making Shallan gasp loudly and slap his arm repeatedly. He stilled right away, worry spread all over his face. "I'm sorry. Does it hurt a lot?" She thought for a moment. What was it that hurt and why? She wasn't as sensitive to his fingers. Maybe it was the size that made her uncomfortable or maybe it was too sudden? "I think you went too far too fast." She caressed his lower lip with her finger. "I don't want you to stop though."

"I'll be more careful," he said and kissed her. She closed her eyes and felt him go inside her again, only this time, she felt more pleasure than pain. He only went in a few inches, but it felt amazing. As it was becoming less and less painful, she needed him to go deeper. Her hips must've sensed it because she began unconsciously bumping into his, eager to have more of him. 

She felt full, as obvious as that might have been. Fulfilled and warm was the best way to describe it and slowly, that warmth was becoming more powerful with every thrust, intensifying between her ribs. She kissed him, hot and deep, mouth opening to his, showing him just how much she enjoyed this. With a hand, he cupped one of her breasts and pinched a hardened nipple. That's when she couldn't take the heat anymore and had to inhale stormlight, making all the spheres go dun and leaving them in a complete dark. Except, a glow appeared and it was coming from her. The stormlight enveloped her and Adolin and for a moment, both forgot about everything else and were fascinated by what happened around them.

The intrigued look on Adolin's face was soon replaced, however, by a look she had never seen before. His brows furrowed and drops of sweat formed on his head. He didn't hold back with his growls either, cursing out names of every god he knew. "Ash's eyes!" At one point, he whispered words in another language. _Riran_ , she thought.

Whatever it was he felt, she was feeling it too. That powerful warmth in her chest reached its highest point, making her scream his name. "Adolin!" she cried out as he moved faster than before, filling her with a liquid she couldn't recognize. After a few seconds, they both stopped moving, their breathing mirroring the other's. He pulled out of her and wearily lay down beside her. The stormlight she had inhaled came off her in a form of mist, then faded away into the air.

* * *

Adolin had an arm placed around Shallan who rested her head oh his bicep. He played with a strand of her hair, twirling it around a finger, humming to himself. They lay there in silence, not moving but both awake, though Shallan's eyelids soon started to slowly drop. "I'm going to get up for a second," he whispered. "Hm? Sure..." she munched.

He put his underwear back on and stumbled his way to the door, being barely able to see due to the little moonlight that came from the window. He poked his head out, searching for guards. The two men had straightened upon seeing him and gripped their spears harder. "Sir?"

"Could you give me some spheres? Lady Radiant used them all." A hint of confusion sprinkled the guard's face, but he instantly clenched his jaw. "Yes, sir!"

Adolin collected the spheres and made sure to remember the name of the man to pay him back. He closed the door behind him and heard harsh snoring that stretched throughout the room. For someone so small, she could sure be loud. He didn't want to wake her, but the snores were getting even worse than before. He nudged her shoulder lightly and it, fortunately, made her slightly quiet down. It was good he got to know of this early on so that he could begin to get used to hearing it for the rest of his life. Just as he was getting under the blankets, he caught a glimpse of a certain spren. "What are you doing here?" 

"Shallan told me not to be here for when you performed your sacred human rituals, but she said nothing about being here after you've finished," Pattern said. He was on their bedrest now, buzzing happily above Shallan's head. "I want to learn more about what you did tonight. I've been studying mating, but I would love to hear details."

"Then she can tell you about it at breakfast. Now you need to let us sleep."

Sometimes the spren was nothing short than an adorable, curious child, but like any child, he could be greatly annoying. _Especially_ when the adult is tired and begging to rest. "Hmm... I will let you sleep." 

And with that, he left the bedrest, then moved to the wall on the other side of the room before disappearing. Adolin closed his eyes and whistled, relieved. He put an arm over Shallan protectively, like he intended to keep her safe from any nightmares that could disturb her. He planted a soft kiss on the back of her head, inhaling her scent and then finally, felt himself doze off. 


	9. Sweet talk so early?

Shallan let the wind slide the fabric of her robe off her shoulder. She sat completely unladylike, with her legs both curled up beneath her and relaxed shoulders, on the balcony, looking at the sunrise. She wasn't a fan of waking up early and sunrises only reminded her of it, making her dislike them as well. An odd statement coming from an artist.

Every other artist she read about took inspiration from it, but she doubted she could ever say the same for herself. She painted colors of all the things she saw in her every day- every new bud that appeared in the garden, every fruit in the market, or any clothes she saw in store windows.

Sometimes, she would even imagine what color a person's voice would be. A cold tone she could imagine as blue, while someone speaking in a rushed and husky voice would be a sparkly yellow. She'd think about all of these things, pushing her creativity to work, and yet never paid attention to sunrises.

This morning, however, she decided to spend some time outside, the only noise made by the insects that buzz as they flew past her. The wind would try and keep her company every few minutes or so, enveloping her in soft hugs. It all made for a perfect setting and now she could finally understand what people found so adoring about the sight of the sun waking up to greet them.

The sky was a pool of different shades of red, blue, and gold.

Beautiful.

”Adolin,” she said softly, returning to the room. When he mumbled something she couldn’t hear, she rocked his shoulder gently. “Adolin come to the balcony with me.”

”No,” he said not opening his eyes. “I want to sleep.”

”Come on! Pause the dream for a second, the sky looks so pretty!”

Finally, he looked at her, eyelids almost still shut. His hair was messy, more so than how he wore it during the day. It looked unkept and his cheeks were slightly swollen. 

  
Grabbing her hand, he lifted himself off the bed and Shallan found herself quite surprised at his naked body. His entire, tall figure exposed to her bare, a smile threatened to appear on her face. She bit her lip, looking away- she’d need to get used to the sight, but she was excited about the task.

Together, they stepped onto the balcony and to the small table. Thankfully, Adolin had gotten himself underwear and a robe. “Wow. You were right.”

His breath was sort of sour, but she didn’t mind. She was glad to be here with him, share the early hours of the day, with morning breath, messy hair and all. At the start of their relationship, Shallan always thought he was born looking and acting perfect, but now she knew not to expect that.

You couldn’t expect perfection from someone because, though she wanted to achieve it and was good at pretending she truly did, the reality was, perfection didn’t exist. But love? Love was always there and wasn’t about perfection, but understanding and care.

”I told you the sunrise looked lovely,” she said, stretching herself backward in her seat. “I’m glad I get to wake up to such a breathtaking view.”

”Me too,” she heard him say, but when she peeked at him, she didn’t see him looking at the sun. Instead, he was looking at her with that big smile of his.

Her cheeks reddened. Sweet talk so early?

”I know we had a... talk about this last night, but I must ask you again. Do you like this room?” 

  
“Of course,” Shallan answered. It was very dark and manly, but she doubted changing some things would mind him. “I will have to add my clothes though and perhaps turn some furniture. Also, maybe we could change the walls to a lighter shade. It would look bigger in white!”

“Oh, thank the Almighty you said that!” he said through a laugh. “I asked my aunt to hire painters when I first moved in here, but she refused to, said the colors were fine already.”

Shallan laughed alongside him. Yes, that _did_ sound like Navani. After they finished talking about room transformation ideas, including decorations, they sat in silence. The sky had gone from a mix of colors to a more definitive blue, orange, and yellow still spotting their canvas. 

It was time to start getting ready for the day. Her brothers arranged a meeting that, she recalled, was supposed to be in two hours or so. Before that, it would be good to wash her hair after all the products put in her braids yesterday and makeup would take about half an hour. Adolin though, was most likely, relieved from his duties until later tonight.

”Do you want to go back to bed?” 

“Nah, I’m awake,” he said. “I’m going to order breakfast.” He turned his head to her. “Would you like sweet or savory?”

She thought for a moment. She had been avoiding unhealthy food, as advised by Navani, for the best fit in her wedding dress the week before. “Get me some jam.”

Walking towards the bathroom, Shallan realized just how many things she’d have to get used to. Not just Adolin giving her compliments, or being naked in front of one another, or anything like that. It was about life together and she planned it to last for a long time. She wished for fifty years of mornings like these, where he orders breakfast for two while she goes for a wash.

Their courtship had ups and downs and there was no doubt their marriage would too, but for now, she won’t look at it that way. Their married life will be an adventure, a journey that she couldn’t wait to start and explore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started the fic almost one year ago, and I know that for short 9 chapters, it has all stretched out far longer than what's acceptable, but THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! I can't wait for Rhythm of War to come out in November so we can all read it and obsess over it and I am so excited to see how it inspires you all to write! Hugs and kisses!!


End file.
